How to Intern

A Backpack Journalist ™ (www.abackpackjournalist.com) program provides educational and emotional support for National Guard and Reserves Military Youth 12-18 through the deployment cycle, including reintegration and provides training on various media to allow youth to express themselves and help connect with their parents/family/other youth.

The curriculum of A Backpack Journalist provides youth hands-on experience, combining the basics of writing, photography, film making, songwriting, editorial cartooning and gathering and reporting with the latest, greatest tech tools.

A Backpack Journalist uses lap tops with photo and songwriting editing, graphic and production software; portable, wireless networking; digital cameras and pocket camcorders and cell phones.

The core of the program helps youth develop their writing skills and expand their education, while underneath it also helps a youth find their “voice” and a means to express themselves. Encouraging creative expression through a variety of media applications has shown to be successful in the trainings to date and is one of the goals of A Backpack Journalist. Having fun, while learning, is utmost also. All program content is reviewed by a licensed psychologist.

There are two levels of Interships available.

• INTERN – college age
• INTERN ASSISTANT – high school

Interns or Intern Assistant must:

• graduate from a previous A Backpack Journalist training
• show a skill set: technology focused or subject track
• be 18 years old  – for college age INTERN
• attend high school – for Intern Assistant – parental permission REQUIRED
• be able to travel/fly to destination without a chaperon
• agree to work under the direction of the instructors at the Event
• agree to follow a code of conduct when wearing the A Backpack Journalist uniform
• file AAR – after action reports to the Program Manager following an Event

Event Definition: Sponsored by military related organizations such as Yellow Ribbon, Family Programs or military support organizations with students/attendees to be military youth between the ages of 12-18.  Events may last 1,2,3 or 4 days.  Hours at event may exceed 8 hours daily.  Event locations will vary from state to state, and based on demand.

Intern responsibilities on site:

• Assist with hands on projects and/or the technology applications/presentations for each subject track for the instructor(writing, song writing, photo journalism, mini-documentary – scripting, editorial cartooning).
• Assist the instructor and class attendees by providing technology support  to the students attending the event during the final production process.  (Students provide the finished writing/manuscript/photography/song approved by the instructor and then Intern will assist.)
• KEY – to “cover” the “back” of the instructors and this is defined as follows: make sure that their equipment is watched over, packed up if necessary, and that all important papers are carefully in place.
• Must observe and then communicate directly with the on-site facilitator and teacher all issues once noted:  students having difficulty with assignment, students excelling with assignment or other requests from students.

Examples of  pre-production and production responsibilities range from:

• Setting up meeting room with equipment (includes net books, printers)
• Handing out supplies/checking in students/keeping supplies organized
• Filming the event, instructor presentation.
• For students: preparing a multimedia application, combining writing with song or photos
• Recording a monologue (or shooting film or video – with pocket recorders)
• Posting results onto websites
• Preparing final DVD/Binding of manuscript
• Shooting photos and video of students performing
• Miscellaneous includes:  “go-fetch-it’s” ie – running errands for supplies!

A Backpack Journalist, LLC – Intern Contractor Guidelines & Benefits:

• Daily rate:  $150 while at Event (Intern)
• Daily rate:  $100 while at Event (Intern Assistant)
• Intern Travel day:  50% of Daily rate (i.e. ½ day would be $75)
• Intern Assistant Travel Day:  All attempts are made for assistant to remain local with no over night travel.
• All travel expenses covered, including air fare, hotel, food
• Hotel room is shared, with another Intern, same sex
• Curfew established and respected with each Event
• W-9 must be completed, with social security number
• Cash advance per event:  $50 per day to cover food, all receipts to be turned in
• Expense report filed in and mailed within 5 days of Event.

Application process:

Please copy and paste the below into an email, and answer accordingly:

Send to:  ldennis@abackpackjournalist.com

• Your name/address/age/education (grade)
• Must be 18, but if younger, please include your parent’s contact information
• Please include in your email (3 or more) favorite technology applications that you use regularly.  Example:  audacity, photoshop, Movie Maker, other.
• Do you have any one of the following:  digital camera, laptop, phone, etc.  Tell us what you use daily and have.
• Please indicate if you have an interest in song writing. Do you play an instrument?  Own a musical instrument?
• Do you love photography, take a lot of photos, just collect photos of your friends?
• Do you like to draw,  paint, work with clay, or other arts and crafts projects
• Any special hobbies you’d like to tell us about?
• Any time during the upcoming year, you cannot be available (school start dates,end dates, weddings, vacations already planned that you know of?)
• Have you had deployment in your family?  One, Two, Three, Four times?
• Have you served on any military related youth groups, committees or public service projects?  Please tell us!
• And,  anything you’d like for us to know about yourself?  Your ambitions?  Future dreams?  College?  Journalism future?

Contact information:

A Backpack Journalist, LLC

ldennis@abackpackjournalist.com

CELL – 803 237 2925
404-314-8007 – l 866 949 3976

Example of an Event:

• 3-days: A Backpack Journalist – Youth – Yellow Ribbon Events (Events 5,6)
• Briefing held at Yellow Ribbon Events – 3 days – youth 12-18 – maximum 50 youth
• Staff Size: 9:
• 6 teachers/trainers and 3 Interns. (additional Interns required for class size over 50)
• Hours of training/conferencing: Friday PM. Start time: 5 PM ending at 9 PM
• Saturday: 9 a.m.-5 p.m., 7-10 p.m.
• Sunday : 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Final Review
• Total days – 3
• Total hours – 26 hours
• On site equipment: ONE internet connection & ONE projector
• Room requirement: tables set in conference style (U ), with tablet/easel/markers

Staff:

• Writing Instructor
• Song writing
• Instructor
• Photo Journalism Instructor
• Technology assistant
• Cartoonist
• Interns (3)
• Facilitator (1) & (2)

Our Current Interns:

Angel Montoya  -  Texas

Ashley Childs  -  Texas

Daniel Jones  -  Mississippi

Jahna Yuhn  -  Kansas

Kristal Mick  -  Texas

Kristin Grant  -  Texas

Portia Grant  -  Texas

Skylar Dickey  -  Kansas

Stacey Sharpe  -  Georgia

TJ Bearden  -  Texas

Rachel Card – New Jersey

Kat Boynton – Texas

Lexie Packwood – Washington, DC

Emarah Cousar – Virginia